Widows was definitely one of my must-sees of the Fall pretty much from the moment I saw the trailer. It wasn’t what I expected which isn’t a bad thing of course. Unfortunately it had some other issues that puts this in the category: has its moments but could have been great.
Viola Davis is excellent, naturally, in the lead role of a widow whose left holding the debt when her husband and his team die stealing from a local drug guy- one who happens to be running for office. Double unfortunately- they burned up with the money.
So Veronica must mourn her husband and join with the other widowed members of his team to try to pull off what would have been his next big heist.
Main thing: this is not the heist movie I thought it would be. Its a much slower character piece. Which still totally worked because the four main women (including Michelle Rodriguez, Elizabeth Debicki and Cynthia Erivo) are all excellent and they had really interesting stories and chemistry with each other.
Another thing that drew me to this movie was its co-written by Gillan Flynn who did Gone Girl and Sharp Objects.
But the political stuff bordered on well- boring. Daniel Kaluuya played the heavy for this brother but I don’t think he got anything like enough characterization. Basically he was an ass. I mean he was good at it. But still…
There’s also a random scene flashback involving a police killing which is just kind of there for motivation.
And one scene that kind of drove me crazy where Colin Farrell is arguing with his assistant- who up until then and then after is pretty much a blank slate and she’s seriously like ripping him a new one but we don’t see any of it cause we’re outside the car watching the scenery go by. I get what Steve McQueen was trying to do with that shot and the neighborhoods it was just odd and I think we needed to see something of the actors faces and body language.
Two excellent performances.
When the movie concentrated on the four women their relationships and lives it was really good and got four great performances. And I did like the twist (though she handled it way better than I would have.) But when it went into everything else I felt like it got lost.
Recommend: Lean toward yes for the performances but- much like Crimes of Grindelwald- this is one that you can wait for home viewing.
I read for pleasure as much as I can find the time these days. I watch movies and television for an escape from reality and I listen to music in order to keep myself from losing my mind.
View all posts by bookbeachbunny
9 thoughts on “More Widows Less… Everything Else”
I saw the trailer and I’m excited to see the film.
Shame about the political stuff being boring. I’d have been attracted to this cos of Flynn too. Good to know about leaving this for a home viewing. Great review!
OH MY GOD Finally someone who doesn’t like that weird ‘let’s show the neighborhood not the characters’ scene either! That was so distracting and took me out of the movie. Yeah I know he is showing poor to rich transition but we got that without that scene, it was so unnecessary. The whole movie was so unfocused and messy.
Right? I found that more distracting plus it seemed like a really good character moment for Colin Farrell and so out-of-character for the assistant I think we should have seen them. Of course I just blanked on his characters name so shows how much that stuck with me!
I saw the trailer and I’m excited to see the film.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I hope you like it!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Great review, waiting for the home version is this case as well.
With the rate I’m watching movies (one a week max), I won’t mind the wait he he.
LikeLiked by 1 person
🙂
At least your spreading it out so you always have something to watch!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ha ha, that’s a nice way of looking at it! 😊👌
LikeLiked by 1 person
Shame about the political stuff being boring. I’d have been attracted to this cos of Flynn too. Good to know about leaving this for a home viewing. Great review!
LikeLiked by 1 person
There’s some very good moments that I think are very much Flynn for the female characters. I do hope she keeps writing screenplays as well as novels.
LikeLiked by 1 person
OH MY GOD Finally someone who doesn’t like that weird ‘let’s show the neighborhood not the characters’ scene either! That was so distracting and took me out of the movie. Yeah I know he is showing poor to rich transition but we got that without that scene, it was so unnecessary. The whole movie was so unfocused and messy.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Right? I found that more distracting plus it seemed like a really good character moment for Colin Farrell and so out-of-character for the assistant I think we should have seen them. Of course I just blanked on his characters name so shows how much that stuck with me!
LikeLike